Names Hold Power
by Coqui's Song
Summary: Hades watches Nico lose everything, win little victories, and then lose even more. He can't help but think that no matter how much his son fights, no matter how many battles he wins, Nico di Angelo will always end up losing the war.


**Just a little one-shot (which was _supposed _to be a drabble, but apparently I can't write drabbles) I thought of while looking at Nico's Camp Half-Blood Wiki page.**

**Oh and it's in Hades POV, too. Which I think is awesome. Hopefully I did him justice. *sweats nervously***

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO/HoO.**

_Names Hold Power_

By: Coqui's Song

"Isn't it ironic that I, Hades, the Lord of the Dead, am holding my newborn child?"

Maria di Angelo smiled tiredly at the man beside her. "Especially because this is not the first time."

"Ah, yes, I held Bianca as well," said Hades, smirking. He glanced down at the baby boy in his arms and his eyes softened. "I am not used to being around the living," he murmured. "I forget sometimes how beautiful it is. Life, I mean." He looks up and meets his lover's dark gaze.

Maria laughed, a breezy, gentle sound. "I should have children with you more often."

"The two are enough," Hades blurted, before falling silent in embarrassment. He wasn't sure how the comment sounded to Maria, but his mistress took his hand and kissed his fingers.

"Yes,_ amore mio,_ the two are enough," she stated, closing her eyes and leaning back down again on her pillow.

"_Amore mio,_" Hades began, uncertain. He didn't want to keep her from dozing; she was exhausted. But he needed to know this information. Maria opened her eyes once more and smiled again. "What will you name him?"

Her smile widened and she gestured for the god of the Underworld to let her hold her son again. She pressed him against her chest and brushed her red lips against the baby's cheek. "I have thought long and hard about this. You told me when I had Bianca that children of Hades do not live very successful lives."

"Not usually," he agreed. He hated it, he really hated it, but it was the truth. "They die young, or they lead miserable lives only to lose everything. They are outcasts."

Her dark eyes turned sad. She stroked the baby's thin dark hair and smiled down at him lovingly. "You also tell me that names hold power, yes?"

He nodded, unsure as to where this was going.

"Your children don't win, you say. This one will. Nico, his name is Nico," she announced firmly, as if daring him to cross her.

"Why Nico?" he wondered, frowning in thought.

"Nico means 'victory,' _amore mio_," she informed him. "Children of Hades might lead miserable lives as you say, but this one, my Nico, my angel, he will be the one to win. He may suffer many trials and tribulations, but Nico will survive. In the end, he will be victorious."

Hades couldn't help smiling at this woman whom he loved. He couldn't be certain of what Maria was saying, but she sounded as if the matter was closed, and that by simply naming the child something with meaning, Nico's fate was sealed. That was one of the reasons he loved Maria, he realized. She was always so sure of herself, so optimistic, so full of _life._

Unfortunately, Hades had more than two thousand years of experience, and he knew that Maria was wrong. But he didn't voice his doubts, not when she had just given birth to the boy some hours ago. "Perhaps so, my love."

**Ω Ω Ω**

Hades watched over his son Nico, watched him as he turned from happy-go-lucky, grinning ten-year-old to angry, lonely eleven-year-old. Then from a happier-than-before-but-still-not-as-happy-as-when-Bianca-was-alive twelve and thirteen-year-old to a much more reclused, surly, broken fourteen-year-old boy. Hades watched Nico lose everything, win little victories like his sister Hazel, and lose even more, and the god of the dead couldn't help but think that no matter how hard his son tried, no matter how much he fought, no matter how many battles he won, Nico di Angelo would always end up losing the war.

The odds were always against him.

Maria was wrong, Hades thought sadly as he saw Nico sitting up by himself on the rigging of the _Argo II_. Maria was wrong, but that was okay. The beautiful Italian woman might have had the ability to see through the Mist, but to see the future? That was something only the children and legacies and the Oracle of Apollo could do.

Hades helped the Seven fight Gaea in Greece. The final battle. His gaze scanned the many monsters that were nearly overwhelming the demigods and gods and found Nico using Diocletian's scepter. His son was growing weary with all the effort of fighting and summoning the dead.

He saw Nico stumble and Percy Jackson hold him up and give him a bite of ambrosia. The fourteen-year-old scrambled away from the son of Poseidon, giving him a murmur of thanks for the help, and continued to fight without another glance at Percy.

Ah, yes, another thing his son had lost: the love of his life.

As the fight continued, Hades entertained the idea that perhaps they would win the war. The tides were turning, after all. Many of the giants had died and gone back to Tartarus.

Indeed, that's what happened: the gods won, but with many losses. Hades was ecstatic to see that both of his children survived, however. Nico looked more exhausted than he'd ever seen the boy, but he was _alive_.

"Percy," he heard Nico murmur, his dark eyes (so much like Maria's) glazed over.

The boy collapsed in the sixteen-year-old son of Poseidon's arms, and Percy shook him. "Nico? Nico, what's wrong? Nico!"

Nico raised his head slightly, opened his eyes to a sliver, and shut them again.

"He's not..." Annabeth trailed off, afraid of the answer.

"Not dead," Hades assured her, walking up to Percy and frowning down at his son. He wanted to reach out and stroke the boy's hair, but the half-bloods and the other gods would probably be shocked at his display of affection. Another time, perhaps, he would tell Nico how proud of him he was.

"He's exhausted," Apollo announced. "His powers exhaust him too much. Don't worry, a week or two of sleep and some ambrosia and nectar will do the trick."

_"A week or two?" _Percy asked in shock. "There has to be something to speed his healing process."

Apollo shook his head. "He just needs sleep, mostly."

The god of healing touched the fourteen-year-old's forehead and Nico slumped against Percy. Percy held Nico up and carried him without any trouble. "I'll take him to the infirmary of the ship, then," said the son of Poseidon, and he was about to walk off before Hades called him back. He'd changed his mind about displaying his affection for his child. His son, though he was asleep, needed to feel loved.

He kissed Nico's forehead and brushed the long silky black hair out of his son's eyes. He met the older demigod's surprised gaze and asked softly, "Am I not allowed to love my son?"

"N-no, Lord Hades," Percy muttered, then he widened his eyes. "I-I mean yes! Yes, of course you are."

He narrowed his eyes and said nothing more, letting Perseus Jackson take his son away.

**Ω Ω Ω**

A week later, Nico awoke in the infirmary on the _Argo II. _He was rather groggy waking up, as if he could have slept for about three more weeks. His shaggy black hair was messier than usual, and he blinked around, taking in the stark white lighting with a bit of confusion.

"Nico!" said the voice of Percy Jackson, and Hades watched as the older boy leapt to his feet. Percy had been staying in the sick bay by Nico's side for the past few days, waiting on him to wake up. Percy gave him a great hug. "Nico, you're finally awake!"

"Huh?" his son wondered, shaking his head.

"You've been asleep for a whole week!" Percy responded. "Guys! Come here, Nico's awake!" His voice carried through the entire ship, and soon all of the Seven demigods of the prophecy were gathered around Nico's bed, clamoring and cheering him.

"You're a hero!" Percy stated with a hard certainty, giving the fourteen-year-old son of Hades another tight hug.

"Bravest demigod I've ever met," Jason agreed, smiling.

"I'm so proud of you, Nico!" Hazel said, clapping her hands together.

The seven demigods were all around him, giving him a group hug, all of their voices saying different words but the meaning was all the same:_ "You helped us win, Nico. You're a hero, Nico. We couldn't have done it without you, Nico."_

_"You are accepted, Nico."_

_"We love you, Nico."_

_"You _won_, Nico." _But that was not the voice of any of the seven demigods that were fussing around him. No. It was the voice of Nico's beautiful, lively mother, Maria di Angelo. The tone was satisfied and content, full of love. He saw a familiar figure in the corner of his eye, and he arched his eyebrow, and then it was gone. Back to Elysium, back to waiting for her son to join her -but not yet. Not yet, because Nico had _won_.

_Indeed, Maria, _Hades thought, leaning back on his throne. He'd never thought that his old lover would be right, but it seemed that even mortals had their own brand of wisdom. He watched Nico try to come up with some sort of reply. He seemed so genuinely surprised by this love and acceptance, but so very happy. Hades couldn't help but smile. _Our son, Nico di Angelo, our Victory of the Angel, is victorious at last._

**_I DON'T CARE ABOUT PERCICO OR JASICO BECOMING CANON. _No matter how much I ship them. **

**_BUT THIS IS HOW BoO SHOULD END, OKAY. WITH NICO ALIVE AND ACCEPTED AND LOVED. _**

**Reviews are much appreciated. :D**

**_~Coqui's Song_**


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